title: Persistent anosmia in a traumatic brain injury patient: role of orbitofrontal cortex.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The olfactory loss due to traumatic brain injury is a common clinical condition. The understanding of the cortical areas involved in ability to detect, discriminate and identify the odours is still limited. However, it has been shown that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is involved in the discrimination and recognition of odours and in particular the right OFC has a dominant role in the central processing of smell.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used the Sniffin' Sticks Test to evaluate olfactory function of a 40-year-old female with persistent post-traumatic anosmia and to have a objective measure method for the follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A marked decrease in the ability to identify and discriminate odours was found. On the other hand the ability to perceive the odours was little compromised. A cerebral Magnetic Resonance Imaging, performed 10 months after the trauma, showed the presence of a post-traumatic scarring in the right frontal lobe involving the OFC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this case of post-traumatic anosmia, the ability to perceive and recognize odours does not seem to be compromised in the same measure. It is postulated that the post-traumatic outcomes, involving areas of multisensory integration such as the OFC, have an important pathogenetic role in the loss of ability to recognize and discriminate odours.
authors.affiliation: IRCCS Centro Neurolesi 'Bonino-Pulejo' , Messina , Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caminiti
authors.forename: Rosella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ciurleo
authors.forename: Placido
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bramanti
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000370:Ageusia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome